Hockey Player Sees Little Boy Watching Him. But What Player Does Next Sends Boy’s Mom Into TEARS

We can probably all remember idolizing an athlete at some point in our youth. Many of still do as adults. If sports was or is an important part of your life, you aren’t alone. One foundation was interested to see exactly how much value children are placing on professional athletes, so they devised a plan.

Children were asked to rank the people they valued the most. A shocking 92% of the children surveyed would rank professional athletes only second to their own parents.

When we see numbers like this, it can be alarming. These children value athletes more than teachers, musicians, and even other celebrities. The behaviors of these athletes can in turn make a huge impact on a child’s behavior.

“When you speak of role models, when we talk to our kids, everybody is a role model, everyone, just as you look at a Michael Jordan to be the terrific athlete he is.” — Walter Payton

So when we see professional athletes doing good things for their community or random acts of kindness, it’s important that we shine a light on those types of behaviors. Those are the kinds of actions that should be held up as exemplary.

Not all athletes realize the impact they have on their young sports fans, but one NHL hockey player does. At a November game he went above and beyond to make one little boy’s night.

After teammate Mikko Rantanen scored his first goal in their game against the Winnipeg jets, Calvin Pickard, backup goalie for the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, made a generous move. He gave an out of play puck to a young fan that was sitting with his mom.

Cameras caught the 24-year-old hockey player as he tapped on the glass to gain the attention of the little boy. He ushered him over and handed the puck to him. The boy was elated and ran back to him mom, puck in tow.

You can bet this goalie has won himself a lifelong fan. If this touching moment made you a Calvin Pickard fan.

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